Drive
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Ron Perlman, Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, Albert Brooks
Director: Nicholas Winding Refn
Bathed in acclaim from the Wellington leg of the NZ International Film Festival and from Cannes, this action drama film has a lot to live upto.
And it doesn't disappoint.
Gosling stars as an unnamed stunt driver who finds himself drawn to his neighbour, Irene (Mulligan) and her young son. However, Irene's husband Standard is on the verge of being released from prison - and when he gets released, the seedy underworld catches upto him again.
The driver decides to help Standard do one last job to help rid him of the past - but soon finds himself in a world of trouble.
Violent, slick and masterful and one hell of a ride, Drive is not what you'd expect - which is a great thing.
Beginning with one of the best pre-credits scene in years, it's clear what kind of movie Refn wants to make.
Whereas most action films involving cars and heists throw everything at the screen and often overwhelm with screeching tyres, wailing police sirens and loud explosions, Refn's gone for the more considered and realistic approach - which is greatly beneficial and makes it thrilling from the get go.
Coupled with a steely performance from Gosling as the calm and measured driver, this visceral opening is stylish and suspenseful.
Everyone in this occasionally violent film steps up; Gosling deserves the lion share of the praise but the rest of the cast all bring their A game. Unfortunately though, there seems to be little chemistry between Mulligan and Gosling which is a shame given how pivotal their relationship needs to be to fuel the plot. That said, the ensemble cast are particularly impressive with Bryan Cranston rolling out a very solid, very empathetic performance as the Driver's friend who scores him work; equally, Perlman and Brooks add the level of menace to the crims which comes not only with age but also with experience.
Drive is effortlessly cool and is probably one of the best films of the year - it's not exactly what you'd expect from a heist movie but it's rapidly becoming a classic in the way Bullitt and other films of its ilk were back in the day.
Also, I am painfully aware there's a growing fan movement behind
Gosling - and quite frankly, this role will cement a lot of
people's opinions of him; be it chewing moodily on a toothpick
behind a wheel or wielding a shotgun to take someone down, this is
the role which is going to send his star well into the
stratosphere.
